Electrically-heated utensil



I. F. LAMB. ELECTRICALLY HEATED UTENSIL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I. 1919- Patented July 1l, 1922.

'l INVENTOR.

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UNITED STATES iSATENT OFFICE.

Josera r. Lann, or NEW BnITlrrN, cONNEOTicUT, ssicNoii. To ,miennes FRARY a CLARK, or NEW BRITATN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION or CONNEOTIQUT.

ELEOTRiOALLY-HETED TENSIL.

ratiltea July i1, i922.

applicati@ ined August 1s, 1919. serial No. 313,188.

To all whomt may concern: Be it known that l, JOSEPH` F. LAMB, a citizen of the United States, and airesident of New Britain, in the county of Hartford, State ot Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Electrically-Heated Utensil, of which the following is a specification.

-The objects of this-invention are, generally, toy increase the efficiency of electrically heated utensils otvarious sorts by securing a better contact between the heating element and that part of theiutensil which is-to be directly heated and to allow for ready removal ot thel part to be heated from the heating elements; The embodiment ot' the invention selected for illustration lis a soldering iron, and there are certain 'features of invention which are peculiarly rapplicable to certain types of utensils,- such for instance as the embodiment here selected tor illustration and description, and other utensils which are to be manipulated by hand. However, I do not wishit to be understood that the inventions herein disclosed are limited in their application to thev exact uses illustrated, described or referred to, as it will be obvious that they are adapted for general application.

Referring to the drawings- Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a soldering iron made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. f. Fig. 3 is a view with the plates covering one side of the structure removed. Fig. 4- is a sectional view on the line 4e-4 of Fig.` 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-45 ot Fig. 2, and Y Fig. 6 is a view of a moditication-` v Referring to the drawings i in detail, a deiiotes the copper point of a.` soldering iron having a stein Z) ot reduced size, preferably rectangular in cross section.` c denotes one lit-:ating element Aand l another heating element, located, as will be seen, on opposite sides oit the stem b, and clamped or secured thereon as by thev bolts e. The heatingelements, c, (Z, are enclosed in the' metal plates 2,3, as will be more clearlydescribed hereinafter. Plates 2 are preferably of a noncorrosive metal, such asz nickel or nichrome,l and the plates 3 may be of iron". The `point and its stein are usually of copper. It de sired, the stem of the point may bey nickel plated to prevent sticking between the stem and theplates 2 and also to protect the'ste b againstthe actionhof acids.

A materialconsideration of the present invention is that the part which is to be heated, in this case the point and its stem,

shall be of metal whichwhen heated expandsmore rapidly or to a greater extent than does the means for clamping the heat'- ing elements against the part -to be heated. The efficiency of thetransmission of heat from the heating elements to the part to be heated depends upon the contact between the parts, and by this arrangement the contact can originally be made firm and coinplete by clamping the elements to the part to be heated. During lthe useof the device the greater expansibility of the part tobe heated insures the maintenance of this con.- tact, the tendency being to ever keep this contact `at the highest degree ofleiciency. This means in this particular embodiment that since the heat is drawn away from the point, a flow of heat is setup from the elements into the point. It is of course truey of a variety of utensils, such for instance as percolators, that the action is such as to produce this flow Of heat, and the device becomes particularlyeiiicient when, as here, provision is made for insuring a perfect contact between the partV to be heated and the elements,'t`he ei'l'ect of the heating being to make this contact more perfect.

kEach heating elementr as here illustrated is preferably flat, the resistor l0, properly insulated, being positioned between metal plates 2, 3, the end and sides of one plate, as 2, being folded over the other plate 3 as indicated at 11,' and 12 respectively, to hold the vparts ot the heating element in assembled relation. In the illustrative embodi ments shownl in the drawings, the plates 2 are of channel shape and rearwardly of the shank their ends are Oiset' towards each other and secured Ytogether in any suitable manner, as by rivets 13.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. l to 5 inclusive, each Ot the heating elements` is fitted into the enlarged and recessed end of an enclosing plate 2'1. Therear ends of the enclosing vplates are also of channel shape and' are offset towards each other so asf to receive and entirely enclose the rear offset endso'f the plates 2. There the securing bolts FSB e, c, ro through the enclosing plates 2l, the plates are co'untersunk, with the result that air spaces are lett between the plates 2l and the outer plates 3 ot the heating elements, which provide an insulation useful in reducing the loss ot heat. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that cach of the plates 3 is of substantial thickness to provide a relatively large mass ot metal in which the heat may be stored, and the heat so stored Will flow towards the point e should the temperature ot the latter tall. The handle stem 23 may be 'formed oi two channel shaped members placed. edge to edge as will be clearly understood Atrom Fig'. 5. In Figs. l to 5 inclusive, the forward end ot this stem receives the rearwardly extending' ends 22 oit the enclosing plates 2l and is secured thereto by means el rivets 24. The handle stem 23 or the ends 22 ot the enclosing plates may be tinted (in 'ihc present instance the tintes 25 being` illustrated on the ends 22) to provide air spa-ces to interrupt partly the communication ot heat to the handle stem.

It will be seen that in order to remove one point and install another. it is only neces sary to remove the bolts, e. e. The enlarged ends ot the enclosing` plates 2l., together With the heating elements carried thereby, spring, or may be sprung', apart sutticiently to Withdraw the used point and insert a new one, when the bolts can be replaced and the elements clamped down tightly on the stein Corrosion ol' the parts will not inter-tere with the ready removal olB the stem ol the point troni between heatiim element-s. ln prior structures. whereitmhas been usual to fit the stem in a socket. the action of acids or moisture results in corrosion causing` the stem to stick se that it is very ditlicult to remove the stem.

230 denotes a handle, the bore ot which is ot a diti'erent cross section than the .cross section oiE the handle stem 23. ln the case shown the handle stem is square, and the bore ot the handle 30 is round, thus providing, air insulation to prevent the overheating ot' the handle.

The handle stem is shouldered as at 31,. 3l, to provide stops which. properly position the handle on the handle stem. The outer end ot the handle stem is notched as at- ?5 to receive projections o6 on an eXter ally threaded sleeve or bushing- 3T to hold it against rotation, and this sleeve is engaged by a nuL at the outer end ot the handle to securely tie the handle onto the handle stein. lhe leads tor the heating' eleinents pass through the handle as clearly indicated in the drawings. The two parts of the handle stein together with the enclosing' plates 2l, which may be considered as parts or continuations ot the handle stein since they are secured thereto, are separable when the handle 30 is i ren'ioved and the bolts c, e taken out, making it extremely convenient to get at the circuit connections.

ln the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 6, instead ot making the enclosing plates 2l and the parts or the handle stem ot separate pieces and then securing the parts together, the handle stem 23 is formed integral with the enclosingY plates.

In that embodiment shown in Figs. l to 5, the soldering point a is disclosed as eX- tending at right angles 'from its stem or shank Y) at a position between the ends ot' the heating units. This arrangement is oi: advantage as the point may be readily inserted into places which cannot easily be reached With an iron in which the point extends torwardly :troni the .Forward end ot the stem, as shown in Fig. 6. Furthermore, it unnecessary tor the heat evolved in the heating elements to How forwardly beyond the Ytorward end ot the heating` elements before it reaches the heating point. lt is, ot course, evident that the soldering point may be in tegral with its stem as shown in Figs. vl to 5 inclusive, or it may be detacha bly carried by the stem, as shown in Fig. 6.

lt is to be understood that, the invention is adapted for other uses than that ot the embodiment selected tor illustration.

ln accordance with the provisions ot the patent statutes l have described the principle of operation ot my invention together with the apparatus which l now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but l desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and th at the Ainvention can be carried out by other nieans.

l claim as my invention:

l. In a utensil provided with a handle and handle stem titting therein, a. threaded n1eniber fittingv within said handle .stem and pio vided with projections entering notches in said handle stem in order to prevent relative rotation between the parts, and a second threaded member insertable in the outer end ot said handle and en gageable with said lrst threaded member.

2. ln a utensil provided with a handle and a handle ste-ni fitting therein, stops on said stein against which one end ot the handle rests, threaded member located-within sa id handle stem and provided with ,'nov'iectious entering notches in said stem to prevent relative rotation between thc parts, and a flanged member eng-aging the outer end ot said handle and threaded tor engagement with said threaded member.

3. In an electrical utensil. a hollow handle stem 'formed in two longitudinal sections, a handle secured to one end ot said stem holding the sections thereof in assembled relation, enlargements at the opposite ends ot' the sections ot said handle stem. an electrical heating` element mounted in the enlargi-d end of each section, separate circuit Wires lll) lil

extending through said stem for each element, a heat-receiving member having a shank positioned between said elements, and means for clamping the ends of said stem and the elements against said heat-receiving o member.

4;. In an electrically heated device, a heating unit comprising a pair of plates one of which has its side edges folded about the other and a resistonbetween said plates, and a channel shaped enclosing plate receiving said heating unit.

5. In a soldering iron, a heating unit comprising a pair of plates and a resistor between said plates, one of said plates being of relatively large mass to function as a reservoir for heat, and a point having a stem secured to said heating unit and having heat conducting relation therewith.

6. In an electrically heated utensil, a pair of spaced heating units havingk channel shaped plates offset at one end and secured together, a handle stem comprising two opposed channel members having their forward ends spaced apart and receiving said heating units, and a handle securing the members of said handle stem together.

7. In a device of the character described, a pair of electrical heating units, each enclosed and with its parts hold in assembled relation independently of other parts of 'the device, a handle supporting said units in spaced apart relation, and a part to be heated removably positioned between and held in heat conducting relation to said units.

8. In a device of the character described, a pair of independent enclosed electrical heating units, each unit including means for securing the parts together, a common handle supporting said units in spaced apart relation, a part to be heated removably positioned between 4and in heat conducting relation to said units, and means for clamping said part in position.

9. In a device of the character described, a pair of electrical heating units each including a pair of plates, a heating element positioned therebetween and insulated therefrom and means for securing the plates of each unit together; `a common handle supporting said units in spaced relation, and a part to be heated removably positioned between said units.

l0. In a device of the character described, a pair of members spaced apart at their forward ends and offset towards each other and connected at their rear ends, a heating element associated with the forward end of each member, a point having a stem positioned between said elements, and means for securing the forward ends of said members, said elements and said stem together.

l1. In a device of the character described, a handle stem comprising a pair of members spaced apart at their forward ends and oset towards each other and connected at their rear ends, a self-contained heating unit removably associated with the forward end of each of said members, a part to be heated removably positioned between said units, and bolts for detachably securing together said members, units and parts.

12. In a device of the character described, a pair of sheet metal channel-shaped members spaced apart at their forward ends and offset towards each other and connected at their rear ends, a heating element within the forward end of each member, a point having4 a stein positioned between said elements, and means for securing the parts together.

13. In a device of the character described, a handle stem comprising two opposed channel-shaped members spaced apart at their forward ends and offset towards each other at their rear ends, a heating element removably associated with the forward end of each member, a point having a stem positioned between said elements, means for securing said elements and stem between the forward ends of said members, and a handle securing the parts of said handle stem together.

14. In a device of the character described, apair of plate spaced apart at their forward ends and offset towards each other at their rear ends, a heating element associated with the forward end of each plate, a part to be heated positioned between said elements, a handle stem receiving the rear end of said plates, and flutes between said stem `and plates providing air spaces therebetween for interrupting the communication of heat to said stem.

15. In a device of the character described, a pair of spaced heating unit-s, a part to be heated positioned therebetween, an enclosing plate about each unit having bolt receiving openings the edges of which are countersunk to engage said heating units and provide air spaces between said plates and heating units, and bolts passing through said openings, units and part to be heated.

JOSEPH F. LAMB. 

